Violence Prevention and Intervention Minor
The Human Services Violence Prevention and Intervention (VPI) minor is a multidisciplinary 20-credit curriculum focusing on violence prevention and intervention. Because the prevention of violence requires efforts across so many disciplines, the VPI minor draws on a number of fields to prepare students to work in a broad range of human services. The VPI concentration can increase students' competence in a variety of fields including general human services, public health, corrections and criminal justice, public policy, education, sociology, psychology, social work, gender studies, and nursing. These disciplines work together to promote effective prevention of and intervention in violence at the individual, family, and community levels. Students who are VPI minors study not only the theories and dynamics of interpersonal violence, but various approaches to responding to and preventing violence as well.
Prerequisites
Students must complete at least one course in one of the following disciplines: Sociology, political science, anthropology, psychology, human services, ethnic studies, gender studies, nursing, or criminal justice.
Requirements (all classes are 4 credits)
General requirements (8 credits):
- HSER 300 Violence: Origins and Explanations
- HSER 301 Violence: Individual, Community and Global Responses
Required VPI elective(s) (4-8 credits)* Choose one or two of the following*:
- HSER 302 Advocacy in Violence Prevention
- HSER 307 Gender Violence in Global Perspective
- HSER 308 Family Violence across the Lifespan
Required interdisciplinary elective(s) (4-8 credits)* Choose one or two of the following*:
- HSCD 301 Chemical Dependency and the Family
- HSCD 306 Chemical Dependency Prevention & Intervention
- HSER 351 Crisis Intervention Skills and Strategies
- HSCO 332 Rehabilitation of the Public Offender
- HSCO 326 Community Corrections
- HSCO 327 Women Offenders in Correctional Facilities
- HSCO 321 Juvenile Delinquency: Prevention and Intervention
- CJS 346 Victimology
- CJS 333 Gangs
- CJS 354 Restorative Justice
- CJS 356 Urban Crime
- CJS 302 Juvenile Justice
- CJS 360 Diversity Issues in Criminal Justice
- PSYC 341 Violence and the Media: Psychological Effects of Film and Popular Music
- PSYC 333 Psychology of Victims
- ETHS 303 Politics of Resistance and Protest Movements
- ETHS 305 Major Issues in U.S. Race Relations
- SOC 303 Ethnic Conflict in Global Perspective
- SOC 306 Deviance and Social Control
- COM 342 Conflict Mediation
*A total of 20 credits are needed. Students must take 5 classes for the minor. Students who take two VPI electives only need to take one interdisciplinary course. Students who take one VPI elective must take two interdisciplinary courses.
